


These Inconvenient Fireworks

by minnuet



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bff!Dongwoo, Fireman!Minseok, Fluff, Humor, Intoxication, Lots of alcohol, M/M, Rimming, Side pairing: Baektao, Smut, XiuHan - Freeform, bottom!Minseok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 22:46:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5473331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnuet/pseuds/minnuet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chief Kim Minseok saves a man from a burning building one day, he doesn't expect to meet him again, until he starts receiving a number of gifts from the same man - which leads to a whole lot of sassy subordinates, cat-eared mugs and hypothetical questions that force Minseok to face his own insecurities in order to figure out his own happiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Inconvenient Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Xiuhan love fest at **theluminations** ♥

The call comes in around 8:07 a.m., just as Minseok’s sipping his first cup of coffee of the day.

Jongdae catches up with him five seconds later when Minseok steps through the doors into the garage. “Reports are that it’s a fire over at Anamdong,” Jongdae updates. “The newspaper vendor across the street caught sight of smoke rising from one of the buildings and called it in.” They stride past one of the new recruits assigned to mopping the floors, who freezes and nearly falls over his feet in a poor attempt to bow and hold the mop at the same time at the sight of the station chief and his second-in-command hurrying past him.

“That’s five minutes away on a good day,” Minseok remarks as they approach the fire truck, its engines idling as the rest of the crew scrambles around it. The siren is still blaring throughout the place, urging them to mobilize. “Jongin, you think you could make it in less?”

From the driver’s seat, Jongin flashes him a lazy grin. “I’ll get us there in two, Chief.”

True to his word, he gets them there in two minutes. When they arrive, there is already a crowd of panicked civilians gathered in front. A number curious onlookers are standing nearby, watching the scene unfold. There is smoke escaping the windows of the second floor of the building – which happens to be an old flat that’s flanked by several brick shophouses that Minseok’s pretty sure hasn’t been through any safety inspection in about a decade – and he can see the flames licking the edges of one of the windows.

He gets to work immediately, splitting up his men to cordon off the area, making sure that the people are kept at a safe distance. He sends some of his men inside to check that everyone’s escaped the place, and guides the rest in attempting to put out the fire. If they can’t save the building, the least they can do is to keep it from spreading across to the other lots.

Unfortunately, the fire grows worse. He radios his men to get out of the place, which they do - just in time. The last man stumbles out of the front door, and there’s a loud crack - possibly from some wooden support beam that's exposed to the heat. The crowd gasps in unison.

“There’s someone still up there!” Minseok hears, and he whirls around, gaze landing on someone leaning out of the window from the third floor. The trapped man’s eyes are wide open in terror as he takes in the distance of the drop to the ground.

“Sehun!” Minseok barks out, and Sehun’s already there, taking over the hose from Minseok just as he all but shoves it at the other man.

“I couldn’t reach that floor earlier from the stairwell. The doors are blocked by something,” he reports. There’s soot on his face, and he’s panting heavily, as if he’s almost out of breath. Minseok curses, considering his options. He can’t send Sehun back in there again.

“Move the crowd further back,” he orders one of the new recruits who’s trying to calm the gathering group of curious onlookers. “We’re going to have to bring the truck closer.” He looks up at the man in the window again.

Minseok gestures at Jongin, who nods, shifting the levers around. The fire truck begins moving forward, with Sehun and Jongdae flanking it as they try to prevent the flames from escaping the building and engulfing the rest of the block.

Holding up one hand as a signal for Jongin to stop the truck, Minseok clambers on board the mechanical platform. “Bring her up,” he calls out. There’s a split second of silence before a loud whirring begins - and the platform begins to rise.

A low murmur sweeps through the crowd.

“Hold on,” he calls out to the man as the platform brings him closer. “We’ll get you out, don’t worry.” The man, he notices, is still leaning out of the window, gripping the edges tightly. “Sir? Can you focus on me?”

“I wasn’t supposed to be here,” the man tells him desperately, “Oh gods, I’m going to die, I’m never going to travel the world and meet David Beckham and Messi and —“ he breaks off, coughing violently.

Minseok can see the way smoke is beginning to curl out of the windows in the room next door. He’s running out of time. “Sir, please calm down, and listen to me.” Minseok’s tries to keep his tone reassuring. From his voice and looks, Minseok mentally recalculates his age, thinking he can’t be more than nineteen. “I’m going to bring this platform closer, and we’re going to help you. You don’t have to be afraid.” The platform halts, a foot away from the building, slightly below the window.

“I’m not afraid,” the young man tells him, but his eyes, still wide with fear, tell him otherwise. “I just—I’m not. I’m not good with--- with heights,” he admits, gulping audibly. “What if I fall?”

“Just focus on my voice, okay? Don’t think about falling,” Minseok tells him calmly. “Deep breaths, and stay calm.” The young man closes his eyes, and is about to take a deep breath when suddenly a loud rumble echoes through the building, shaking it slightly.

“Oh god, oh god,” his eyes are wide open again; his face gone pale. “Oh gods, I’m going to die, I’m going to—“

“Breathe,” Minseok interrupts him firmly, although he keeps his voice steady and his eyes on the man’s face. “Focus on _me_. Look at _me_ , okay?” He watches as the man does just that. “Now, I’m going to need your help. I’m going to need you to climb onto the edge of the window, and onto this platform I’m standing on. Are you still with me?”

“Y-y-yes,” comes the answer. “I think- I think so.”

“Good. Slowly now, don’t rush yourself. And don’t worry, I’ll be here.” Minseok holds out his hands, ready to grab onto the man, just in case. “I’ll be here,” he repeats, “so just focus on me.” In the distance, he can hear the siren from another fire truck, more backup that Jongin must have radioed in. They’ll be here soon, he thinks, but until then, all he has to do is to save this man.

The man’s feet are now dangling off the edge. He’s looking at Minseok, his stare intense, as if Minseok’s his only lifeline, and the only thing he can see right now.

“Just a little more,” Minseok adds, soothingly. “Remember, focus on me.”

The slide from the edge onto the platform is less than graceful, but what Minseok doesn’t anticipate is the sudden loud crash, possibly from some falling beams inside the building. He also doesn’t anticipate the man throwing himself into Minseok’s arms at the noise, yelping.

“Hang on, hang on—“

“Oh god, I shouldn’t have done that, I should have stayed there, I should have stayed in Beijing, why did I come here, why did I—“ he rambles, and Minseok awkwardly places his hands around the man’s back.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you, you’re safe now,” he repeats, not sure what the protocol is for consoling someone who’s not only clinging to him like a koala but is currently shirtless and wearing a pair of scandalously thin shorts.

It doesn’t help that, when Jongin begins to lower the platform, the mechanism jerks slightly as it kicks into motion; the young man lets out another whimper and clings onto Minseok even tighter, gibberish spilling out of his mouth in his panic. All Minseok can do is to repeat his earlier words, hoping the tone of his voice will calm him down.

When the platform locks back into place on the top of the truck, there's a sound of applause and cheers all around. Minseok lets out his breath in relief.

“Safe and sound, like I promised,” he tells the man, who slowly releases his koala bear-like grip on Minseok and looks around warily. “See? All in one piece.” The man almost stumbles in his haste to climb off the platform, and reluctantly lets himself be helped down by the other firemen, as Minseok follows behind. 

Joonmyun, he notices, is here, the crisp and clean uniform of the paramedic a stark contrast to his own black and yellow-striped coat. He’s already talking to the man in a calm and comforting tone as he leads him off to one side where another paramedic is treating someone else.

The rest of the other fire engines arrive and Minseok is soon pulled back into the chaos. By the time the fires have been put out; the building, while still intact, looks to be in bad shape. The sides are completely blackened, some of the grills seem warped from the heat, and part of the front door is no longer there. There’s probably more damage inside, but Minseok can only make assumptions for now until the fire investigative team is sent into the place.

All around them, the tenants they had evacuated are milling about, looking shocked, some looking angry. Some of them seemed young, possibly students - and there are already a few of them with their parents on the scene, trying to talk to the policemen who are taking down everyone’s statements.

A few of them are visibly crying.

Minseok catches the expressions on his squad’s faces, especially the younger members. It’s never easy, he thinks, seeing people get hurt, or affected by the fires that they fight so hard to put out. 

He takes a deep breath, reminding himself of the most important thing: They’ve lost no one today, and, except for a slightly singed fruit stall, the rest of the shops along the same row have been spared from the fire.

This brings his thoughts back to the man he had rescued. He walks around, looking for him – and discovers that he’s standing beside the ambulance, with a blanket draped around his shoulders, looking forlorn and miserable.

But the moment he sees Minseok, his face lights up like a Christmas tree, and he’s grasping Minseok’s hands and bowing, words of gratitude spilling from his lips.

“Thank you, thank you, you saved me, you saved me up there and oh my god, how can I repay you? You saved my life, that was incredible—“ he continues to ramble, as Minseok blinks at this display of emotion. He can see Jongdae smirking from the corner of his eye, and even his other men are struggling to keep their faces composed.

“Er, that’s… that’s alright. I mean, you’re welcome, but really, sir, I was just doing my job—“ he begins, only to be cut off by the young man, who’s moved from holding onto Minseok’s hands like a lifeline to dramatically clutching them to his chest.

“No. _No_. This was more than just a job, it was, you were so _calm_. And amazing. AMAZING. Like you were some sort of hero—“ this is starting to get embarrassing, Minseok thinks, and he tries to glare at someone – or anyone – to help him out, but his squad is all pretending to ignore his silent pleas – “and you were so incredible. You _saved_. My. Life,” he finishes, looking at Minseok in awe.

Thankfully, Joonmyun – perhaps under the pretext of saving Minseok, or to prevent further second-hand embarrassment - interrupts them, gently prying the man’s hands from Minseok and leading him away, much to his relief.

 

*

The morning after answering the call down at Anamdong, Minseok walks into the rec room to find two of his men huddled close together, whispering and snickering amongst themselves.

Raising his eyebrows, Minseok takes in the scene before him, and glances up at the clock, where the time indicates that there are twelve minutes left before their shift ends. There’s a mop dripping over in the corner, forgotten as the both of them peer at whatever it is that has their attention.

One of them glances up, and catches sight of him. With a loud gasp, he abruptly straightens up and faces Minseok, elbowing the other man hurriedly. His hand moves around behind his back in his attempt to hide whatever they had been looking at, but he’s not quick enough as the sight of a familiar paperback catches Minseok’s attention.

“Which volume is that?” he asks, casually. The two of them stare at him, dumbfounded, with confused looks on their faces.

“Uh, Chief?” one of them asks, nervously.

Minseok holds out his hand. “The one in your left hand, Wonsik.”

After a long moment, Wonsik passes him the book reluctantly. Minseok takes it from him, glancing at the front cover, filled with the same familiar images he’s used to seeing, the colors just as loud and garish. He has the same copy back home after all, along with the rest of the volumes that had been released before this one.

“That’s a good issue, although I’m not too fond of the cliffhanger between chapters.” He passes the manhwa back. Looking relieved that he hadn’t been reprimanded for reading something that most people would have considered frivolous, Wonsik accepts it back, bowing in apology as his friend follows suit.

Jongdae, who’s watching the entire exchange from the doorway leading into the room, doesn’t say anything - at least, not until their shift has ended, and he and Minseok are both heading towards a food van nearby the station for breakfast. The walk through the back of the shophouses is quiet, the only noise being that of a rumbling bus or a car horn, drifting in from the streets. “That was nice of you back there,” he comments, out of the blue.

Minseok has known Jongdae since their academy days, before he had been assigned to this station. Jongdae has a sharp tongue and a dry sense of humor, but it’s these qualities that make Minseok trust in his judgement. While on-duty, Jongdae assists Minseok at the station whenever he’s not around, or he’s caught up in his other duties. Off-duty, he’s the first one to point out when Minseok’s been working too hard, or to drag him out for drinks with their other friends.

“It’s nothing,” Minseok says, unsure of how to respond to the sudden compliment. “They weren’t doing anything wrong.”

“Our previous chief wouldn’t have been so lenient on them.” Jongdae shrugs. “Even if the men don’t say it - I'm glad to have you in charge of our squad.”

Minseok gives Jongdae a small smile, feeling a little pleased - though slightly embarrassed - at his words.

“Just don’t let them know I told you, though,” Jongdae adds hurriedly, and Minseok lets out a loud chuckle in response.

 

Being a firefighter wasn't been part of his original career plan. Soccer was his first choice, before he fell in love with performing, and singing - but when those didn't work out, he'd turned back to his studies, thinking that if he couldn’t pursue his dreams, he could still salvage his dignity by finding a steady office job.

Life, however, had other plans for him. The degree he worked hard for wasn’t enough to secure him the jobs he wanted; there were too many like him, too many bright-eyed eager young graduates with the same thick piece of paper and a dream of climbing up the ranks in the corporate ladder. Rejection became a familiar friend, then.

Until he found himself offered the chance to enroll in the fire-fighting academy.

His first post after graduating from the academy was on the east side of the city; four years later, he was offered to take on the role of station chief, replacing his retiring predecessor. His best friend, Dongwoo, laughed and started called him ‘Chief Kim’ the day Minseok texted him to inform him of the promotion, before forcing Minseok out for celebratory drinks after his shift. The night ended with them singing loudly down the street towards the subway station, collars loosened and without a care in the world. He paid for it with a horrible hangover the next morning, but it was worth it.

Now, Minseok can’t imagine doing anything else. The job has its perks, and the pay, while nowhere near what he could be earning had he gone the idol route, is enough to keep him in a modest place just two subway stops away from the station. He keeps his men in line, the fire station neat and clean and ready for any emergency, and there’s a sense of order in his life that he’s sure he wouldn’t have found working in one of the skyscrapers in Jongno.

 

*

A few days later, Minseok returns from a meeting to find a brightly decorated box on his desk. He frowns at it, not recalling it having been there when he had left several hours ago.

Daeyong, one of new transfers from a station down in Daegu, happens to walk by, and notices Minseok still staring at the box. “Oh, Chief Kim, someone dropped this off earlier but you were at your meeting. He said it was a thank-you gift for saving his life at the Anam flats the other day.” Daeyong shrugs. “He didn’t seem to want to stick around to wait, and just left this here.”

It takes Minseok a few seconds to recall the man. He grimaces; he remembers clearly that the man had been a handful to calm down and had practically _clung_ to Minseok the entire time when he had been rescued.

(He also remembers that the man had been good-looking with rather pretty features, albeit a terrible bedhead, been shirtless, and had a rather toned chest under Minseok’s touch - all facts that has no relevance to this conversation or Minseok’s life. Minseok tries very hard not to think about the shirtless bit, and focuses about the man’s awful red hair instead.)

When he lifts the cover from the box, he finds himself looking down at the colorful selection of delicacies inside it.

"Oooh, rice cakes," Jongdae comments, peering over Minseok's shoulder. 

“This is really nice of him,” Minseok comments. “I don’t think anyone’s sent us something like this before.” He considers the box of rice cakes - and the bright-eyed eager looks on his men’s faces.

He hands the box to Jongdae, but not before snagging a piece for himself. “Here, pass this around,” he says, and a small cheer goes up from his men. He smiles as everyone crowds around Jongdae, reaching for the treats.

“Chief, there’s a card here too,” Jongdae says. Minseok gestures at him to read it out - after all, the rescue had been a team effort, and they deserve a share in the compliments from the general public too. It helped with their morale, amongst other things.

Jongdae opens up the card. _To the fireman with the pretty cat eyes - thank you for saving my life. Please accept this as thanks for my gratitude._

Minseok almost spits out the rice cake he had bitten into. “Pretty… _what_?” he coughs out.

“Cat eyes,” Sehun repeats, unhelpfully. Somewhere in the room, there’s a snort of laughter that’s hurriedly stifled.

“Give me that.” Minseok stalks over towards Jongdae and snatches the card from him, reading the same exact words. There’s a name at the bottom of the card, a simple _Lu Han_ written in neat characters.

“I’ll leave the last two pieces for you!” Jongdae tells him merrily.

Minseok stuffs the card into his pocket and attempts to walk back to his desk with as much dignity that he can muster, resolving not to go _near_ the rice cakes.

(He ends up eating the last two pieces, but only because he doesn’t like having food go to waste. At least, that’s what he tells himself.)

 

*

The gifts don’t just stop there. 

The next day, it’s a box of oranges, and two days later, a thank-you wreath - and each time, there’s a note or card attached. Lu Han doesn’t seem to have picked up on Minseok’s name, and keeps starting off the messages with ‘cat eyes fireman’ and ‘pretty cat eyes’ and Minseok always ends up with his face flaming after reading them every time. 

Even his men have been sending him amused looks whenever he snatches the card away or attempts to hide it so no one else can read them, and Jongdae’s taken to calling him Chief Cat when both they’re off-duty.

Minseok wants to tell Lu Han to ease up on the gifts and the weird pet-names in his messages - he had caught Sehun sombrely handing him a cat-eared mug because ‘it reminded me of you, Chief’ - but the gifts keep getting delivered whenever Minseok’s off-duty.

“Again?” Minseok stares at the giant teddy bear that’s sitting on the chair, next to his desk. It’s even wearing a fireman’s uniform, he realizes.

“This guy must be trying to get into your pants,” Jongdae comments. There's a look of mirth on his face. He’s been having way too much fun at Minseok’s expense over the past few days, on _and_ off-duty.

Minseok almost retorts with a comment about sassy subordinates when the siren goes off. 

“Saved by the bell,” Sehun quips from the corner of the room, and Minseok mentally makes a note to make him clean out the lockers for a whole week.

 

*

When Minseok had graduated from college, he'd tried applying for all the jobs that matched his degree and field. After being rejected from his eighth interview, he returned to his hometown in defeat. That night itself, he ran into an ex-schoolmate whom he hadn’t seen since high school. They had greeted each other with equal delight, shook hands, and decided to catch up over drinks.

Five bottles of cheap store-bought soju later, Dongwoo had latched onto the fact that Minseok was _still_ looking for a job, and suggested a completely different career change. Minseok'd laughed it off at first. With his current track record, there was no way they’d even recruit him.

_Of course you will_ , Dongwoo had told him, his face red from soju, but full of conviction and enthusiasm. _You might even be a chief, one day_ , he had added, before passing out in Minseok’s lap.

Of course, Minseok hadn’t believed it - until the letter had appeared in his parents’ mailbox a week later, addressed to him and bearing the official logo of the National Fire Service Academy.

Years later, their drinking habits haven’t changed, although the frequency has. Even though they’re no longer assigned to the same district, they make it a point to meet up once a month for samgyeopsal and beer; regardless of how busy their schedules are.

As the meat sizzles on the grill between them, Dongwoo rants about the new set of policies that his station had received while Minseok calls for another round of beer. By the time the food is finished, with a few stray salad leaves and pieces of kimchi left between them, Minseok casually mentions Lu Han.

Dongwoo snorts in his typical fashion when Minseok tells him about the gifts, and the wreath. “Sounds like a bad case of hero worship,” he says, in amusement.

Minseok considers his words. Hero-worship isn’t uncommon amongst those in his line of work – and he’s had many a grateful family member or individual approach him, thanking him and his men for saving their loved ones in the most dire situations - yet this situation feels a little… different.

“I was only doing my job,” Minseok mutters, picking at the remaining bits of rice in his bowl with his chopsticks. “It just feels unwarranted.”

Dongwoo gives him an amused look. “Are you complaining because it was an unnecessary reaction to you saving his life? Or because of some other reason?” He leans closer, and adds, in a conspiratorial whisper, “More importantly, is he cute?” 

Minseok pointedly ignores him, and the rising heat in his cheeks. “Shut up and buy me another beer,” he says, and Dongwoo merely laughs, before changing the subject.

 

*

Dongwoo’s words, however, linger at the back of his mind for the next few days. Minseok tries to ignore it, and buries himself under piles of paperwork in order to distract himself. He has a talk coming up - some safety awareness campaigns around the neighbourhood, targeting several schools and universities. He’s still uncomfortable with the idea of giving a speech in front of a large crowd, and so during one of his off-duty days he rounds up some of his friends - along with Jongdae - to be his test audience.

He manages to go through his speech twice without stumbling. In exchange for their help, they convince him to buy them drinks. He’s reluctant at first, but when Jongdae points out that they had to endure his presentation for three hours, Baekhyun whines and pouts and Kyungsoo gives him his usual blank stare - Minseok gives in and agrees to the suggestion.

Later that night, they find themselves in a bar in Itaewon. They’re in the middle of drinking and chatting in a small booth that they’ve managed to snag for themselves when suddenly, he catches sight of a familiar face near the pool table. “Lu Han?” Minseok blurts out, putting his glass of soju he had been about to drink back onto the table in surprise.

Jongdae gives him a surprised look. “Lu Han? Isn’t that the guy that’s been stalking you at work?” Minseok tries to shush him, but it’s too late as Baekhyun perks up.

“Wait, what stalker?” Baekhyun demands as Minseok chances another peek, confirming the fact that it is, in fact, the right person. There’s no mistaking the delicate features and reddish-brown hair.

It’s probably a coincidence that he’s here. While the squad had finally started to ease up on making fun of the attention Minseok had been getting from saving him, the gifts were still showing up on his desk every day, resulting in some rather awkward questions when the district chief had dropped by the station.

Still, he’s glad that the man seems to have recovered from his experience, especially if he’s well enough to be stalking the station for when Minseok’s not around or hanging out in a bar, playing pool.

He watches as Lu Han leans over the table, his back to Minseok, lining his cue up for another shot. His ass looks flat from this position, Minseok thinks - and then he almost chokes because he shouldn’t even be _looking_ at Lu Han’s ass. Or at Lu Han, for that matter.

Maybe he can try to sneak out before Lu Han sees him, Minseok thinks. He opens his mouth to suggest this to Jongdae, when Lu Han turns around and happens to glance towards where their little group is seated. His face practically lights up when he recognizes Minseok and he raises his hand, waving a little too eagerly.

Trying to hide his grimace, Minseok returns the gesture hesitantly.

Baekhyun hums. “Hyung, you didn’t mention someone was stalking you.”

“He’s not a stalker,” Minseok starts to say, but Jongdae snorts, interrupting him.

“For a person who’s not a stalker, he seemed to know when to show up at the station to drop off the gifts for you,” Jongdae points out. “That’s more than just coincidence.”

“Hey, at least he’s cute,” Baekhyun adds, sizing Lu Han up. “Do you think he tops?”

Minseok feels a headache coming on. “Oh my god, _Baekhyun_.”

“These things are _important_ to establish at the start, hyung,” Baekhyun tells him, a suspicious glint in his eye. Before Minseok can stop him, he’s standing up and waving at Lu Han.

“Baek, what are you doing?” Minseok hisses.

“Being polite and asking them to join us, hyung. Where are your manners?” Baekhyun’s grin is too predatory as he beckons Lu Han over. Next to him, someone - Minseok guesses it’s Lu Han’s friend - is staring at their little group in curiosity.

“He’s just a college student, Baek,” Minseok protests. He can see that Lu Han is in the middle of arguing over something with his friend, while gesturing over towards their table. “Besides, I barely even know him.”

“All the more reason to get him to sit with us, right? This way, you get to bat your pretty kitty eyes at him.” Baekhyun winks at Jongdae, and it takes Minseok several seconds to understand what he’s up to.

“You knew all along,” he accuses Baekhyun.

“Jongdae said you were practically being _courted_ at work. I had to just see this for myself.” Baekhyun’s grin is predatory, and Minseok shoots Jongdae a dirty look. “Oh, good, here they come.”

Deciding that he’s too sober to handle the combined powers of Baekhyun and Jongdae ganging up against him, Minseok downs an entire whole glass of soju.

Moments later, he’s wishing he hadn’t done that. “Wow, I didn’t think I’d run into you again,” Lu Han says when he approaches the table. He’s dressed in a pale grey shirt, the collar unbuttoned and opened slightly to reveal his collarbones. Minseok gulps, remembering the chest underneath that. “I thought you firefighters practically lived at the station.”

“Not all the time,” Minseok answers defensively, although Lu Han’s not far from the truth. There were, some days, when even Jongdae complained that Minseok was setting the bar too high for the others at the station, because he was such a workaholic. “I do go out, sometimes.”

“Only when forced,” Baekhyun interrupts, smiling so widely that Minseok thinks his eyes might hurt from how bright it was. “I’m Baekhyun, by the way, since Minseok-hyung seems to have forgotten us.”

Minseok groans. “I don’t know how you can insult me and call me your _hyung_ in the same sentence, you brat,” he mutters, before introducing Lu Han to the others. Lu Han, in turn, introduces his tall and rather fierce-looking friend as Zitao.

To Minseok’s surprise, Kyungsoo stands up and slides out of his seat. “You should sit here,” he says, without offering any further explanation. Minseok gapes at him as he moves to the other side of the table, where Jongdae is seated.

“Uh--” Lu Han starts to say, but then Zitao, without missing a beat, shoves him into the booth before moving to slide into the space next to Kyungsoo. Which, of course, leaves Lu Han _right next to Minseok_ , cutting off any means for him to escape. 

Baekhyun shrugs, and is about to sit next to Lu Han when Kyungsoo clears his throat - loudly. Surprised, he looks over towards his cousin, then at Minseok and Lu Han before his eyes widen. Pouting at the arrangements, Baekhyun pulls up an extra chair to the table.

Kyungsoo is evil incarnate, Minseok thinks, as he stares daggers at his friend, who casually lifts his glass as if nothing had happened, and takes a sip of his drink.

The conversation starts off a little awkward at first, since Minseok doesn’t know Lu Han very well beyond the fact that they’ve met under rather… different circumstances - until Minseok begins to ask Lu Han about what his major is, and receives a long silence in return.

“Oh,” Lu Han says, finally, his cheeks turning pink. “You thought… you thought I was a student?”

“Aren’t you?” Minseok asks, looking confused. Lu Han looks like he’s a college freshman, by his estimates. Or at least a sophomore.

Zitao snorts. “Lu Han-ge’s an old man,” he says, and he receives a mock punch from Lu Han immediately.

“How old _are_ you?” Kyungsoo asks.

Lu Han tells him, and Minseok’s eyes widen. “You’re kidding,” he says, disbelievingly. Lu Han, apparently, is his age.

“You’re one to talk,” Baekhyun points out. “No one I know will believe me when I tell them you’re the _chief_ of a fire station. My own _mother_ still thinks you’re in high school, for fuck’s sake.”

“Wait-- chief?” Lu Han turns to face Minseok, his eyes wide open. “You’re-- you’re the station chief?” As Minseok nods, his face go through a variety of expressions and shades, before he finally settles on Embarrassed and Mortified. “Oh my god--”

“It’s okay--”

“I’m so sorry--”

“--anyone could have made the mistake--”

“I didn’t mean to call you a pretty cat--” This time, Kyungsoo almost spits out his drink.

The silence that descends on them is awkward.

“So _oooo_ ,” Baekhyun says, finally. “More soju, anyone?”

 

*

Several glasses of soju later, when Minseok stops turning red whenever Baekhyun interrupts with a cat joke and Lu Han stops trying to apologize for the hundredth time, Minseok learns that Lu Han works as one of the guidance counsellors at a local university in Anamdong. Prior to that, he studied in Seoul for a number of years before moving back to Beijing after graduation. When he was offered a job back in Seoul two months ago - handling the paperwork and administration of the students from China - he jumped at the chance. 

He had been staying at one of the student apartments off campus nearby while waiting for the renovations on his new apartment to be completed - until the fire had broken out. Which explains why he had been in the building the first time Minseok had met him. Complete with his youthful features, it was no wonder that Minseok had mistaken him for a student.

At the moment, he explains, he’s bunking in with Zitao, who had been his junior when he had been studying in Seoul. The student dorms had been declared off-limits until the safety inspection officers completed their investigation. 

“They should have their report completed and submitted by this week,” Minseok tells him. He had to review it, after all. “If it all checks out, you’ll be able to find out the cause of the fire by next week.”

“The many benefits of having friends in high places,” Baekhyun adds, winking at Lu Han. “If you ask nicely, he might let you ride his fire engine.” Lu Han’s face turns beet-red again.

“Lu Han-ssi,” Minseok begins politely, “Excuse me,” He reaches over, and smacks Baekhyun on the back of his head.

Kyungsoo applauds, and Zitao looks on in amusement.

“It’s nice, seeing you like this,” Lu Han comments, later, when they’re waiting for Baekhyun to return with another round of drinks. “You’re less frown-y.”

Minseok raises his eyebrows. They’re now alone, at the table, since Kyungsoo had excused himself to head to the restroom, and Zitao had gotten up to help Baekhyun with the drinks. Even Jongdae had left, with the excuse that he needed to catch up on his sleep - but the knowing smirk on his face as he had waved goodbye to Minseok indicated that he had a different reason for leaving them.

“Uh, not that I meant that to offend - it’s just that… “ Lu Han’s voice trails off, and he slumps back in his seat. “Actually, Minseok-ssi, could we speak comfortably with each other?”

Nodding, Minseok waves at him to continue. “I just can’t seem to act normal around you,” Lu Han admits, running his hands through his hair. “I swear, I’m usually a lot more eloquent than this.”

“Is that why you’ve been sending me those gifts?” Minseok asks. He wonders if this also explains why Lu Han has never been around when the gifts are sent.

“Ah… well. I’ve only ever seen you at the station, or when you’re in uniform - and you always seem so… serious.” He ducks his head, an embarrassed laugh escaping him. “I didn’t know if you’d reject the gifts, so I just… left them there.”

Minseok is silent for a moment. He can understand the fear of rejection. He’s no stranger to it himself. “I meant to thank you.” Lu Han’s head snaps up, surprised. “For the gifts. Even though the, ah, messages were a little inappropriate, I didn’t mind them as much.” Minseok’s a little startled to find that he’s actually being honest. While he had been the victim of most of Jongdae’s sly jokes because Lu Han’s attention, he had seen how the squad had reacted goodnaturedly, which made the mood at the station a little lighter of late. All because of a few gifts.

Lu Han smiles, and it’s warm and friendly. Minseok likes how it makes his eyes crinkle at the sides, just a little. “I never figured I’d get a chance to actually hear you say that, let alone meet you outside.” He laughs. “You--you’re more relaxed.” His cheeks are pink as he finally looks up, his eyes catching Minseok’s gaze. “I like it.”

Now it’s Minseok’s turn to blush, and he hides it behind his glass. He doesn’t expect how _frank_ Lu Han is - but then again, the way he had been leaving gifts and notes for Minseok at the station, while a little obsessive, makes it pretty obvious.

It’s weirdly also a little endearing.

Thankfully, he’s spared having to say anything else in response, as Lu Han - perhaps realizing that the air is awkward once more, changes the topic. “So,” he leans back, giving Minseok a little more breathing space. “What made you decide to become a firefighter?”

Minseok considers the question for a moment, picking at the sticker that had come off the bottle in front of him. It’s not the first time he’s been asked this question. In the past, he’d responded to everyone with the same reasons - he had been attracted to the nobility of the job, he wanted to save lives; all standard, perfunctory answers.

Perhaps it’s the alcohol he’s been steadily drinking over the past hour, or perhaps it’s Lu Han, sitting there with an earnest look on his face as if he’s expecting Minseok to give him some noble, life-altering answer; whatever the reason, he ends giving a completely different response.

“Soju,” he says, simply.

Lu Han stares at him, and for the first time ever, there’s a _what the fuck_ look written all over his face. “Soju… made you decide to be a fireman?”

Minseok bursts out laughing. He laughs and laughs, and as each moment passes, Lu Han is still looking at him as if he’s gone _insane_ , which makes him laugh even harder, his hand gripping the edge of the table to steady himself. After a moment, Lu Han starts to chuckle, and eventually joins him in laughter.

Finally he manages to calm down enough to explain. “My best friend,” he begins, still grinning, “sent in our applications when we were drunk.” Minseok had woken up the day after with the worst hangover in mankind, to find that Dongwoo had, by some miracle, emailed their particulars to the academy.

“So you went ahead anyway? Weren’t you mad at him?”

Minseok snorts. “Pissed as hell. I didn’t talk to him for a week, until we both got our recruitment letters. Even then, I had no plans to take the written examination - until Dongwoo said something that made me think twice.” He pauses, thinking of Dongwoo’s earnest words. And how much Minseok had, at that time, needed something to hold on to, to make him feel like he was worth something again. “He said that this way, at least, we would be able to help people.”

At this, Lu Han goes quiet. Minseok looks over at him, curious at his reaction, to discover that he’s looking at Minseok, his eyes soft and warm on him. “And you did,” he says, his tone filled with so much pride and sincerity and honesty that Minseok finds himself blushing, unexpectedly. “You helped _me_.”

Minseok ducks his head, trying to quell the way his heart begins to race at Lu Han’s words. He’s never been this affected by anyone he’s saved before, and he doesn’t know how to respond. He had never been good with words, and right now, with alcohol in his veins and Lu Han pressed up against his sides, warm and comfortable, Minseok feels overwhelmed.

He considers excusing himself briefly, just to recollect his senses and emotions which are currently whirling around inside him, but Baekhyun and Zitao return to the table with several more bottles of soju.

“Well, don’t we all look cozy,” a clearly tipsy Baekhyun declares, while Zitao quietly places the bottles he had been carrying onto the table.

A frazzled-looking Kyungsoo slides into the seat next to Minseok while Zitao sits beside Lu Han. “What happened to you?” Minseok asks. He turns his head so he can speak to Kyungsoo in a low voice, glad for the distraction from Lu Han.

“Caught these two making out in bathroom,” Kyungsoo tells him, not bothering to keep his voice down.“I’m going to need to bleach that image from my brain now.” Zitao, who’s in the midst of pouring out the soju into everyone’s glass, almost drops the bottle, his ears turning bright red.

Lu Han blinks. Slowly.

Baekhyun, however, is unfazed by this. He leers at Kyungsoo, not even bothering to look ashamed or embarrassed. “Aw, you’re just jealous because we didn’t ask you to join us.”

Zitao almost drops the bottle again, knocking the sides of the glass while Kyungsoo gives Baekhyun a look of disgust.

Lu Han, in the meantime, blinks again. He clears his throat awkwardly. “Uh,” he begins, “You… and Zitao?” He glances at his friend, whose entire face is now aflamed.

Baekhyun ignores the remaining empty chair and stalks over to Zitao’s side, before sitting on his lap. “Don’t worry,” he says, leaning over towards Lu Han while fluttering his eyelashes, “I promise to return him in one piece by tomorrow. Unless you have other _plans_ ,” he adds, and actually _winks_ at Minseok.

“Please stop talking,” Kyungsoo tells him flatly. “For all of our sakes.” 

“I think,” Minseok interrupts all of them (he’s trying to sound calm even though he’s caught between trying to climb out of the booth to strangle his drunk friend, and wishing Zitao good luck because there’s no way Baekhyun’s letting him escape safely tonight) and picks up Lu Han’s full glass to hand it to him,”-- we’re going to need something a lot stronger than soju.”

 

*

Minseok is drunk.

The night air is cool against his face when Minseok finally makes his way out of the pub. This is all Lu Han’s fault, he thinks, as his feet stumble over a rock - what’s a rock doing here, out of nowhere in the middle of the street? Is it lost? Minseok can’t help the giggle that escapes from his throat at the idea of a lost rock wandering the streets of Seoul--

“Minseok,” Lu Han’s voice is near, so very near, startling him out of his rock-wandering thoughts. “Minseok, are you drunk?”

Minseok lets out a hum. “Maybeeee,” he drawls. When he looks up, he spots Lu Han propped up against the building's back exit. Lu Han doesn't seem much better off, blinking blearily at Minseok.

“Oh.” Lu Han looks momentarily thoughtful, and then he snickers. “Me too.”

When had Lu Han gotten here? Where’s Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo. And the other tall what-his-name. Zi-something, Minseok tries to remember. Lu Han’s friend. 

Right. Baekhyun had disappeared to the restrooms along with Zi-something, their intentions obvious, while leaving Minseok alone with Lu Han. Kyungsoo had long abandoned them and made his escape with lame excuses about ‘not being a third, no, fifth wheel’.

Lu Han is here. Hey, maybe Lu Han can get him another drink -- “You,” Minseok slurs out, “--drink.” And to emphasize what he’s asking for, he takes a step closer, pursing his lips to emulate the act of sucking through a straw. “Pffftzztt.”

Lu Han bursts into giggles, and so does Minseok, after a while. Lu Han’s not so bad. Lu Han looks really pretty. Lu Han smiles like the sun and his eyes sparkle like the stars. Speaking of which, why is Lu Han standing so far away?

“Hey,” he reaches out with a hand and grabs the nearest thing belonging to Lu Han that he can find – which happens to be Lu Han’s shirt collar. “Hey, pretty boy,” he repeats himself, and then he tugs roughly.

“I’m not pretty,” Lu Han tells him, sounding grumpy. “ _You’re_ pretty.” He cups the sides of Minseok’s face, and puffs out his own cheeks. “Yummy, pretty.” He mutters a word that Minseok doesn’t recognize, and continues to rub Minseok’s face, his cheeks.

“What does that mean,” Minseok mumbles, his words garbled by the way Lu Han is tugging and squishing his cheeks together. Lu Han’s fingers are nice and warm. “That word. Ze. Zi?”

“Mandooo,” Lu Han tells him, grinning. “Your face looks yummy. I could bite them. Bite you.”

Minseok swats at his hands, intending to pull them away - but somehow he ends up encircling Lu Han’s wrists with his own fingers, keeping them in place.

“I’d rather you kiss me instead,” he hears himself say, and there’s a sharp gasp of surprise as he tilts his head up, pressing his mouth against Lu Han’s.

The taste of alcohol still lingers on Lu Han’s lips, and Minseok laps it up, licking along the creases. He tries to coax Lu Han into letting him in, pushing, _asking_ , and after what feels like forever, Lu Han finally relents, his grip on Minseok’s face relaxing as Minseok slips his tongue into his mouth. Minseok moans when Lu Han reacts, sucking on his tongue, his hands sliding around to grip the back of Minseok’s neck--

Minseok finds himself being pushed back against a -- wall? Or something solid, at least - and then Lu Han’s bracketing him with his arms, pinning him back with the rest of his body.

Their kisses grow more sloppy, open-mouthed, their movements frantic as they rub against each other. Minseok moans - he can feel how hard Lu Han is, his erection apparent through the slacks he’s wearing. He’s just as hard as well, and it doesn’t help that Lu Han has slipped a leg between Minseok’s thighs, and is pushing up--

“ _Shit_ ,” Minseok breathes, as his clothed erection rubs against Lu Han’s thigh. “Oh, oh, fuck--” Through the haze of alcohol, it occurs to him that maybe getting off in the middle of an alley, just two blocks away from his workplace, wasn’t exactly a good idea, but Minseok is too far gone to spend any time thinking about it.

“Minseok--” Lu Han gasps, as Minseok shifts his hand between them, his fingers working at his zipper clumsily, “ _Minseok, please_ \--”

Loud tinny music blasts through the air, and Minseok opens his eyes in shock, realizing that it’s the sound is coming from him. 

“Lu Han--” he manages out, trying to reach for his phone, but Lu Han’s lips are too distracting, tracing a path along his jawline. “Lu Han, wait,” he says, urgently, and Lu Han pauses, pulling back in surprise. 

His face flushed, Minseok steps out of his embrace, pushing past him as he pulls his phone out of his back pocket, almost dropping it twice before finally swiping across the screen to answer it.

He can feel Lu Han’s eyes on his back as he speaks. “Hello?”

“Hyung!” He can hear Baekhyun’s worried voice through the phone. “Hyung, where are you? I went back to the table but you weren’t there--”

“I thought--I thought you were with Zitao--” Minseok sputters. “I mean, you went to the restroom with him and all--”

Baekhyun makes a strangled noise. “Oh my god, hyung, we didn’t-- I didn’t do anything!” he bursts out. “I’m not reckless enough to do that, jeez, he’s just a kid--” Minseok hears an offended “ _what the fuck, I’m not a kid_ ” in the background-- ,”and besides, I’m supposed to stay over with Kyungsoo tonight but he ditched me and now I need a place so pleaseee _eeee_ hyung, can I stay at your place?”

Minseok lets out a sigh. “Fine,” he says. “You get the couch, though,” he adds. 

When he hangs up and turns back towards Lu Han, there’s an inquisitive look on his face.

“That was Baekhyun,” Minseok says. “He’s done-- ah-- with whatever he was doing. He’s planning to stay at my place tonight.”

“Damn it,” Lu Han groans. “Couldn’t they have waited a little longer?”

The fog of alcohol is beginning to thin, fade out. He had been about to get off with Lu Han, whom he barely knows, at the back of the bar, where anyone passing by would have seen. 

_I’m not reckless enough to do that._ Shameless as he is, Baekhyun has enough sense to draw the lines when it came to casual sex, which Minseok had been so close to doing.

He’s never, in his life, acted so _recklessly_ before.

“Minseok,” he hears, and Minseok looks up. The expression on Lu Han’s face is soft, affectionate. “Can we… ah...” he pauses, biting his lower lip, looking shy and young suddenly. “Can we go out, one day? As in, on an actual date?”

Minseok scrubs at his face in frustration. He’s so drunk, damn the soju - but he’s not so far gone to realize what’s happening. It’s been obvious since the beginning that Lu Han _likes_ him. Minseok doesn’t want to lead him on when he’s not interested in pursuing any sort of relationship himself.

Lu Han… Lu Han deserves better.

“I’m sorry.” Lu Han is still too _close_ , and his voice, his face, makes Minseok feel a little breathless. It’s probably the alcohol that’s making him crave Lu Han’s touch, he thinks, as he reluctantly adds a little more distance between them. “I was … I wasn’t thinking straight.” _I’m sorry_ , he wants to say again, but he holds himself back, taking a deep breath instead and closing his eyes.

“Thank you for the… for the gifts. And the notes,” he hears himself say. He doesn’t trust himself to look at Lu Han. “But what this is… what we’re doing - this isn’t proper. Or right. I saved your life, and I know, I’ve read this before, that you probably think this means something between us. But there isn’t any.”

“Minseok--”

“Lu Han-ssi,” Minseok cuts him off, switching back to formal speech and drawing the lines, the boundaries between them once more. “I’m sorry. But I have to go.”

As Minseok turns around to head back into the bar to search for Baekhyun, he catches a glimpse of Lu Han still standing there, looking shocked and hurt.

 

*

The gifts stop coming.

Technically Minseok shouldn’t be worried. Or even care, this much. Lu Han is, after all, someone he encountered while on the job. He has no obligations, no ties to the man - even after that night when the both of them were drunk, and horny. If Baekhyun hadn’t called Minseok’s phone and interrupted them, they would have done something that they would have regretted, once they had sobered up.

Technically, he should be grateful that Lu Han’s gotten the message about propriety and stopped showing up - and yet, somehow, Minseok doesn’t understand how he can’t actually stop thinking about Lu Han.

And, Minseok hates to admit it - he misses the inappropriate messages about his pretty eyes and the gifts that he’s grown used to seeing on his desk whenever he gets back from his meetings. Even Jongdae seems to have picked up on his mood, and there are no cat jokes during their tea breaks.

He shakes his head, trying to clear his mind of these thoughts, and decides to turn his attention towards the pile of work that he hadn’t had a chance to sort out the past few days. Squaring his shoulders in determinedly, Minseok reaches for the topmost file, and distract himself with work.

It’s Jongdae who broaches the topic with him, a few days later. “How’s Lu Han?”

Minseok is busy filling out the latest assessment forms for his squad. He pauses in the middle of typing out a report for Jongin and looks up, raising an eyebrow at Jongdae. “Why would you ask me that?”

Shrugging, Jongdae tugs a chair closer to Minseok’s desk, and settles down on it. “Just that we haven’t seen him around lately.”

“Maybe you just haven’t been here when he is.” Minseok goes back to his reports. He’s not sure what Jongdae is getting at.

“If he had been, we would have seen the gifts on your desk,” Jongdae points out, “and from the lack of that lately, it’s obvious that he hasn’t been here.”

Minseok sighs. “And why would I care if he’s been here or not?” he asks, trying to pay attention to the screen. _Good at following instructions, in sync with the rest of the squad_ , he types out. 

Jongdae gives him a skeptical look. “Says the man who’s kept every single card that Lu Han has sent, in his desk.” When Minseok tries to deny this, he rolls his eyes. “Bottom drawer, underneath last year’s safety manual.” He snorts. “Did you think you were being _subtle_ about him?”

Minseok’s eyes widen. “How did you-- wait, I’m-- I’m not --- I never said I was _interested_ ,” he sputters out. “We’re not even friends-- and-- and _he’s_ the one who’s been hanging around me--”

“Are you sure? Because it seems to me that you’re just as obsessed with him,” Jongdae points out. “Besides, Baekhyun told me that you were flirting with him at the bar that night, after I left.” Minseok feels his face turning hot. He’s going to hunt Baekhyun down the first chance he gets.

“Baekhyun was too drunk to even find his way home, Jongdae. He tried to have a conversation with my vacuum cleaner that night,” Minseok says, instead. He hits the ‘Enter’ key a little too hard, and the sound makes him start, slightly. “I don’t think he’s your most reliable source of information for what happened.”

“You’re deflecting,” Jongdae points out. “Come on, it’s clear you were into him the minute you saw him. And you liked how he was leaving those gifts and messages for you. _And_ , the way you spoke to him at the bar, you were paying him a lot of attention. Way more than I’ve seen you give anyone of us, in fact, and we’ve been in the same squad for a _year_.”

Feeling frustrated because he has a deadline to meet with these reports - and, partially because Jongdae seems to be relentlessly hitting at a sore spot by reminding him that he's been too obvious, too easy in front of Lu Han - Minseok slams the ‘Enter’ key again, this time startling Jongdae. “It’s not that simple,” he snaps. “Lu Han-- it’s a risk.” Coming out in high school was hard enough; finding love, as easy as it is for anyone else, was harder . The rejection he faced still lingered after so long. 

“How can it be a risk to admit that you like someone, to let yourself be happy? You can’t _choose_ how you feel--”

“Choice is something we face everyday, Jongdae - and we make the choices on our jobs that have the lowest amount of risk for the people we’ve trying to save.”

“The decisions that we make for ourselves in our actual lives shouldn’t have to follow that rule,” Jongdae argues. “ _You_ don’t have to follow that rule, hyung.”

“I think I know better how to live my own life, without needing my second-in-command telling me,” Minseok shoots back.

“See, that’s the thing,” Jongdae tells him, sounding exasperated. “I’m not telling you this as your second-in-command, or as your co-worker. I’m telling this as your _friend_.”

Minseok stays silent. He gets what Jongdae’s trying to say, what he’s trying to imply -- but he hasn’t reached this point of his career and life without learning that some risks aren’t worth it.

“Here’s a hypothetical question, then,” Jongdae asks, suddenly. “You’re called to the scene, and there’s a decision you have to make. One choice could save more lives, but the wrong step could cost more. Another choice would mean saving less, but the risk isn’t as high.”

“I’d pick the low-risk one.”

“But what there was a slim chance you could still pick the high-risk choice, with a higher margin of success?”

“Either way, I wouldn’t choose that,” Minseok tells him. “In an emergency situation, anything could happen. Something that hadn’t been factored in, or a split second of hesitation from someone. Or even from me. All of these could change the outcome of the situation, that could determine either life, or death.” He learnt this at the academy, and then later, on the job. No decision he has made since then has been easy, but he’s made them, and moved on, dealing with the results and consequences later on.

Jongdae nods, as if he’s been expecting this answer. “That’s the responsibility you’d have, as a fireman.” He pauses. “What if Lu Han was in there?”

Minseok sits up, his eyes wide. “Jongdae--”

“Hypothetical, remember?” He leans closer. “You’re not a fireman in this situation. What would you choose?”

Minseok stares at Jongdae. Jongdae’s question was _hypothetical_ , thrown out there into the situation to support his argument against Minseok. Yet, Minseok is reminded of the fact that the first time he had met Lu Han, he _was_ in danger. 

And Minseok, without hesitation, had saved him.

It's starting to dawn on him slowly, that he's made a terrible mistake, and he slumps back in his chair. “I’ve been an idiot,” he admits.

“Well, there’s a first time for everyone,” Jongdae says, looking terribly smug. “So what do you plan to do about it?”

 

*

The problem is, Minseok doesn’t know how to contact Lu Han. He didn’t even think to ask for his number, being too wrapped up in his own stupid decisions that night. And while he knows that Lu Han works in one of the universities in Anamdong, he has no clue which one it is.

“You could try calling up those places and asking if they had anyone working there by that name?” Jongdae suggests, which Minseok considers for about five seconds before deciding that it’s a terrible idea.

“Well, I don’t see you coming up with anything better,” Jongdae grumbles, and Minseok ignores the remark as he turns back to his work.

Ten minutes before their lunch break, a call comes in. A smoke alarm has gone off in an apartment building, and while no one has called in with any updates on the fire, Minseok’s squad sets off to answer the call.

The fire, however, ends up being a false alarm. As the fire truck rolls up to the clean and modest-looking apartment building, Minseok notices the considerable lack of smoke and flames. A small crowd is milling around the front, looking put-out and aggravated.

He does a double-take at the sight of a familiar face amongst them. "Lu Han?" he blurts out.

"Oh!" Lu Han gives him a startled look, as the rest of Minseok’s men linger in the background. Minseok swears he can hear Jongin snickering. “Er… wow, this is embarrassing.” He rubs the back of his neck as his face turns pink, then bright red. He looks completely mortified. "Uh.. so there might have been a small accident?"

 

*

As it turns out, Lu Han was the one to accidentally set off the smoke alarm.

“Let me get this right,” Minseok says, crossing his arms as he stares at Lu Han, who’s standing in front of him, dressed in cargo pants and an old tank top that said _World’s Manliest_. “You were cooking ramyun, and just… _forgot_ you had the stove on.”

Lu Han nods miserably.

“And it didn’t occur to you when you heard the smoke alarm that it was coming from your kitchen?” At the edge of his vision, Minseok can see the other firemen edging away from the two of them slowly.

Shaking his head, Lu Han mouthed out a feeble, “Uh, no.” He’d left the pot on top of the stove and stepped away to answer a call, and returned to a blackened pot, a roomful of smoke and the smoke alarm bleeping at him angrily.

“I even tried opening all the windows to air the room out, but there was still smoke everywhere,” he adds.

Jongdae returns from sweeping through Lu Han’s apartment. “All clean,” he tells Minseok. “The apartment uses an induction stove, so there was no gas. In fact, everything looks fine except for a few scorched marks and the burnt pot.” He gives Lu Han a sympathetic look. “Everything’s going to smell of smoke for a few hours, though.”

Minseok opens his mouth to say something else, when he’s interrupted by Sehun. “Uh, Chief Kim,” he begins. “Some of the residents are getting restless and asking if they can go back to their homes.”

“I’ll handle them.” Minseok looks back at Lu Han. For a moment, he feels a slight twinge of guilt for being so hard on him, especially when one of his neighbours, an elderly lady with a wooden cane approaches them and begins to lecture Lu Han. She keeps it up for a good ten minutes before another lady - her daughter, Minseok presumes - comes and pulls her away. The rest of the tenants begin to file away, returning to their units with grumbling noises and mutterings; a small pug dog even sniffs at him in disdain and ambles off, presumably following its owner back in.

Lu Han, who spends the entire time bowing and apologizing to each person, finally lets his shoulders slump in defeat before he sits down heavily onto the ground. He looks tired and sweaty. “They’re going to hate me for a while, aren’t they?”

Minseok looks at him sympathetically. “It might take a while, but they’ll come around. It was a mistake. Anyone could have done the same.” The statistics for that was pretty high, based on the experiences he’s had.

“It’s not just that,” Lu Han says. “What if I had fallen asleep? Or if that hadn’t been a induction system? What if it had been worse? Someone could have gotten hurt, Minseok - and it would have been my fault.”

“Lu Han,” he says, in a quiet voice. “No one got hurt. They’re all okay. You’re okay.” It hits him then, Jongdae’s question from days ago, and his eyes widen.

_What if it was Lu Han you had to save?_

In the wake of what’s just occurred, the question now carries a different meaning. Although no one’s been hurt, it reminds Minseok that this is his chance, now, to talk to Lu Han, to clear the air between them.

And maybe, just maybe--

“Minseok?” Lu Han’s voice interrupts his train of thought. “Minseok, what’s wrong?”

Shaking his head, Minseok turns to avoid Lu Han’s gaze. He catches sight of Jongdae, who’s hovering near the truck. They’re waiting for him, Minseok realizes, and Minseok is here, in front of Lu Han, with a set of decisions to make.

_The decisions that we make for ourselves in our actual lives shouldn’t have to follow that rule._ You _don’t have to follow that rule._

“There--there’s a place near the station that delivers noodles,” Minseok begins hesitantly.

Lu Han looks up at him, confused.

“I… I haven’t had lunch yet,” Minseok adds. “Well, us, actually. The squad was about to order in something.”

Blinking at Minseok in confusion, it takes Lu Han several seconds before he finally responds. “Are you-- are you asking me to have lunch with you?”

“Just a quick one, since you didn’t end up making any, and--”

“Yes,” Lu Han answers quickly. “I’ll-- I’ll. Yes. Lunch. With you,” he finishes a little incoherently, looking slightly shell-shocked. Not that Minseok can blame him, since Minseok rejected him terribly the last time, and now he’s doing a 180-degree turn and asking him to join them.

The ride back to the station is quiet, as Lu Han sits up front with Jongin, while Minseok squeezes in the back between Sehun and Jongdae. It gives Minseok enough time to quell his own panic - although his own men aren’t exactly helping the situation, giving him knowing looks and grins, especially Jongdae.

Lunch is always a group affair for their squad - but this time, Minseok avoids the dining hall, where the rest of them have gathered, filling the room up with quiet chatter. With the take-away boxes of fried chicken and jajangmyeon between them, Minseok leads Lu Han towards the stairs, taking them to the rooftop of the station.

Minseok picks out a spot and spreads the old newspapers he snagged from the recycling pile. Satisfied with the arrangement, he beckons for Lu Han to join him as he sits down.

They dig into their food silently at first, until Minseok, at an attempt to break/dispel the awkward tension between them, brings up the topic of a recent football match he saw on TV. It takes a few seconds before Lu Han replies, but he opens up soon enough, especially when Minseok drops the name of his favorite team and Lu Han feels the need to passionately point out the flaws in their strategies.

Sometime in the middle of the conversation, when the topic has moved on from sports to their favorite bands, Minseok notices that Lu Han is watching him intently. He breaks off from describing the last variety show that he had watched. “What?” he asks, touching his face. “Is there something on my face? 

“No-- it’s just that-- I mean, I’m having fun, talking to you, eating with you. Sitting here with you. But, the other night, you acted like you didn’t want anything to do with me.” Lu Han pauses, looking conflicted, before continuing, “Why did you change your mind?”

Minseok puts down his box of noodles and takes a deep breath. He can hear the confusion, but most of all, the hurt in Lu Han’s voice when he spoke. He’s never thought of himself as an asshole before, but the way he sees it now, he’s definitely acted like one towards Lu Han. “I wanted to apologize for that night, for the way I treated you. I wasn’t very nice about it, and-- ah, I might have been really drunk.” Using alcohol as an excuse is weak, he knows, but Minseok doesn’t dare admit the real reason. Not yet.

“At first, I thought you were grateful because I had saved you,” he continues. “It’s easy to be confused, to have some sort of feelings for the person who’d saved you. We call it hero-worship, amongst us, and it’s not the first time I’ve seen this happen before.” He gives Lu Han a rueful smile.

“Minseok,” Lu Han is looking at him with an amused expression on his face. “Maybe that’s the case for some people, but not for me. I actually like you. Not because you saved my life, but because… there’s something about you that makes me drawn to you. Which, I haven’t been very subtle about.” He smiles a sad, defeated smile. “Although it’s kind of pointless, since you made it pretty clear that night that you weren’t interested in me.”

Minseok feels the guilt hitting him right in the gut.

“Well, I think…” Minseok pauses, trying to come up with the right words. Nothing else seems to work in his mind, and he settles on the simplest. “I was wrong.” Lu Han isn’t looking at him, but Minseok can see the way he blinks, slowly, as he digests what Minseok’s just said.

“What do you mean?”

“What I said that night. I wasn’t being fair to you.” It’s now or never, he thinks. “I _am_ interested. I wasn’t sure if you felt the same way-- no, wait. That’s not right.” He decides to be honest. “I was afraid.”

Lu Han blinks. “You?” He looks confused. “But-- you’re the bravest person I’ve ever met. You fight _fire_. You’re the chief of a fire station. Why would you be afraid of anything?”

“I was afraid that… that it wouldn’t work out. It’s not easy for me to make a choice where I don’t know what the outcome will be like.” He worries at his lower lip. “But I’m tired of being afraid, and I want to… I want to try this. If you’re still interested.”

Lu Han doesn’t say anything. but Minseok can see a small smile playing on his lips. After a while, the smile grows bigger, and then he’s _grinning_ at Minseok. “Yes.”

Later, when they’re packing up the empty boxes and newspapers, ready to head back downstairs, Lu Han takes a step closer towards Minseok and nudges him lightly with an elbow. “So, does this count?” he asks.

“Does what count?” Minseok looks at him in confusion.

“Us, having lunch here.” Lu Han’s eyes are twinkling in mischief. “Did that count as our first date?”

Rolling his eyes, Minseok elbows him - but not hard enough that it would have hurt. “That was lunch.” Lu Han pouts. “But,” Minseok continues, “if you -- ah, that is, if you’re available this Friday, we could make it one.” He clears his throat. “A date, I mean.”

Lu Han widens his eyes. “Really?” Minseok nods. “Wow. Okay, uh, yes. _Yes_. Let’s do that, uh,” he stutters, nearly walking into a wall, only to be saved by Minseok, who’s laughing as he grabs him in time before he injures himself.

 

*

A few weeks later, during which there are several pleasant dates and one _very_ hot make-out session in the back of an almost-empty movie theatre, he finds himself back in Lu Han's apartment - except that this time it’s for a very different reason.

Earlier, after leaving the theatre, Lu Han rested one hand casually on Minseok’s waist before leaning closer, his breath warm against Minseok’s ear as he invited him back to his place. No excuses, no pretext - nothing to use as a cover as to why Minseok would need to be at his place.

(Of course, the fact that Minseok spent part of the movie tracing circles along the expanse of Lu Han’s thigh, dangerously close to his groin, might have brought about Lu Han’s thinly veiled desperation.)

The door has barely clicked shut, the locking mechanism inside still whirring loudly, when Minseok moves first. He hears the surprised sound that Lu Han makes as Minseok slides his hands around Lu Han’s neck, drawing him close. He tilts his head up, capturing Lu Han’s lips in a kiss that leaves no room for doubt as to his intent.

Minseok tugs at Lu Han’s shirt, trying to yank it off but there are damned buttons in the way. “Take it off.”

“Minseok—wait,” Lu Han is saying, his hands coming up to grab Minseok’s own but Minseok swats them away, still working on the shirt between kisses. Two buttons get sacrificed as he tugs too hard, impatient to get to Lu Han’s collarbones. “Hey! That was new!”

“Consider it a noble sacrifice,” Minseok tells him, before pushing him up against the wall and capturing his lips again. His fingers slip underneath Lu han’s shirt to run along the expanse of his chest lightly, making Lu Han gasp when he flicks at his nipples. He’s been dreaming of this for a while. “It was an ugly shirt, anyway.”

Suddenly he’s being pushed away. Before he can voice his protest, he finds himself shoved up against the wall as Lu Han reverses their positions.

“Ugly?” Lu Han bites out, and he presses his lips against the side of Minseok’s neck, sucking at a spot that has Minseok gasping, his fingers scrambling against the wall behind him uselessly. “I’ll have you know,” he mutters out, before lifting his head to let his mouth graze against the tip of Minseok’s ear, “that that was--” he licks it with his tongue, letting it trail down, down along the edge, “my _favorite_ shirt.” His voice is low, his breath hot against Minseok’s ear. “I expect full repayment for that,” he adds, before his fingers slip down and press against Minseok’s growing erection.

“Lu Han,” Minseok moans out, losing control - he has more bulk on him that Lu Han does, yet the other man’s closeness, his touch and words and presence seem to drive him to the edge, to lose all sense and propriety every time. He’s going to have a stern talk with his libido after this, especially if having his brain scatter to bits whenever Lu Han is near him is going to be a problem--

However, when Lu Han guides him towards the couch - and begins to pull off his clothes, revealing his toned body and hard, leaking cock - all of that goes out the window as Minseok sits and tugs Lu Han close by the hips, taking him into his mouth.

Lu Han lets out a choked-off yelp at the sudden attack, but Minseok ignores him in favour of sucking the tip of the cock, pressing the flat of his tongue against the sides and along the thin vein beneath the crown. His fingers are still digging into the side of Lu Han’s naked thighs, and he lets them wander, slipping them between Lu Han’s legs to cup his balls, rubbing the silky sac, tugging at them slightly. He’s rewarded with a groan and a low _fuck, fuck_ , and hums in pleasure.

Minseok feels fingers sliding through his hair, pulling at the strands and he takes that as his cue to take more of Lu Han into his mouth. He’s only deepthroated someone once before, but that experience couldn’t compare the way Lu Han’s sweat and manliness hit Minseok’s senses at once as he slid his mouth all the way until he feels the head hitting the back of his throat. He pulls back, almost to the tip, and then sinks his mouth down once more.

“Fuck,” he hears, before Lu Han’s grip tightens in his hair. He lets Lu Han fuck his mouth like that, letting as much saliva pool in his mouth to make the slide easier, until Lu Han’s muttering something that sounds almost like--

“Stop, wait,” Lu Han breathes out, his hands now gripping both sides of Minseok’s head, as if he’s trying to hold him back. Slightly annoyed at the interruption, Minseok flicks his tongue along the edge of Lu Han’s shaft, and sucks, _hard_.

He gets pulled off Lu Han’s cock immediately. “You’re a horrible tease,” Lu Han says, his face flushed, and breathing heavily. Minseok blinks at him, attempting to give him an innocent look. It doesn’t seem to work, as Lu Han manhandles him onto the couch, unbuttoning and yanking his slacks and briefs off him, while his lips are busy seeking out Minseok’s.

Lu Han wraps his fingers around Minseok’s leaking cock. With a low moan, Minseok lets his head fall back against the cushions as Lu Han slicks up the rest of his shaft with his precome. “Since you like teasing so much, let’s see if you like this,” he says, an impish grin on his face.

It’s only when Minseok is on his knees, his chest pressed down against the cushions and clutching to the edge of the seat with one hand and digging his fingers into the armrest with the other that he understands _exactly_ what Lu Han means.

The wet sounds that Lu Han is making as he pushes his tongue into Minseok should not turn him on as much as it does right now, but Minseok can’t help but tremble at every lewd noise, at the way Lu Han feels hot and soft and slick inside him. It’s like nothing he’s ever felt; every lick makes him want to pull away in shock, yet he keeps pushing back, letting Lu Han open him up with his mouth and tongue while soft cries escape from Minseok’s lips.

It feels like forever before Lu Han finally slips a finger in, slick with lube that he had paused midway to hunt through his drawers for. He’s generous with the amount of lube, pausing to pour out more from the bottle before adding another finger and Minseok tries not to think of the mess that’s dripping down the back of his thighs, concentrating instead on how much he needs Lu Han to fuck him _right now_ instead of taking his own sweet time.

Minseok whines when Lu Han eventually pulls his fingers out. There’s a crinkling sound as Lu Han tears open the condom packet. “Here, turn over,” he hears, and Minseok complies, wriggling around until he’s flat on his back.

Lu Han waits until he’s comfortable, before he shifts closer, using his hands to push Minseok’s legs up until he’s pressing them against his chest. Minseok can feel his cock pressing against his entrance, almost but not quite entering him.

“Will this-- is this okay?” he whispers, and Minseok catches the caution his eyes, the look of uncertainty that Minseok might, _could_ , still reject him. 

In answer, he reaches out and entwines his fingers with Lu Han’s, smiling at him. “I’ve got you,” he says, the words an echo of the first time they had met, in what feels like so long ago.

The smile of relief that Lu Han sends him is blinding, beautiful, and Minseok lets himself drown in the sight as Lu Han finally - _finally_ \- slides in all the way, filling him up. For a moment, they stay like that, breathing in each other’s scents, before Lu Han shifts slightly, causing Minseok to gasp as his cock presses against his prostate.

Lu Han fucks him on his back like this, his eyes never once leaving Minseok’s face, their fingers still entwined together. Minseok feels so _full_ and he loves it, loves the way Lu Han is falling apart above him, the way his expression shifts from lust to amazement and something else that Minseok thinks he could, maybe, one day, allow himself to think about - but that is, of course, something for the future. Right now, all he can think of is how incredible Lu Han feels, and how much he needs to come.

He reaches down with his free hand, already intent on stroking himself when Lu Han stops him, pinning his hand above his head by the wrist. “No, not yet,” he gasps out, and Minseok all but _glares_ at him, because damn it, he needs to fucking come _now_.

Lu Han pulls out, leaving him empty and still unsated, before tugging Minseok up with him. “Let me-- I want to try something,” he says, and Minseok finds himself on his knees again, this time bent over the back of the couch as Lu Han slides back into him. The change in position has Lu Han hitting his prostate directly, instead of the teasing grazes earlier; Minseok claws at the material on the couch, not caring if he’s going to end up ruining it as his cries keep getting louder and louder--

He comes, untouched, painting the couch with his seed as he clenches around Lu Han’s cock; Lu Han follows him over the edge soon after, groaning against Minseok’s back.

Exhausted, Minseok lets himself slide back onto the couch. He grimaces when he realizes that there’s a large wet spot on it, but before he can roll off the couch, Lu Han is wrapping his arms around him, clinging to him like a koala bear.

“Lu Han,” Minseok whispers, because he’s really tired and the couch is really gross right now. “Lu Han--”

“Shhh,” Lu Han whispers back, kissing him on the nose. “Just enjoy the moment.” he smiles at Minseok, his eyes already half-closed, sleepy.

And because he’s weak to Lu Han and his smiles, Minseok sighs, and lets himself be cuddled. The last thing he remembers, before falling asleep himself, is the look of adoration on Lu Han’s face -- and then he lets his exhaustion take over.

 

**[Epilogue]**

Minseok leans back in his chair, relieved. He’s been away from the station for a few days, having spent those days visiting several universities around Seoul to give his talk on fire safety. Because of the lost hours, his work had been piling up, and he’s had to put in some extra hours to clear the pile.

When he checks his watch, he notices that it’s close to seven in the morning. There’s another thirty minutes left before their shift ends; before he can finally head home to rest. He glances around the station and sees the rest of his men are quietly going about their duties. Jongin is humming and tapping his feet, moving along to the beat of some pop song that’s playing on the radio while he checks on the fire engine. Sehun walks past him, carrying a box of old documents from storage that’s meant for the shredder, and accidentally bumps into Jongdae, who’s just returned from making himself a cup of tea, resulting in a high-pitched yelp from the latter as most of the tea - and the cup - lands in the box.

Minseok’s phone vibrates, indicating a message has arrived. Amidst Jongdae’s nagging and Sehun’s impassive voice arguing back in the background (he’s learnt to tune them out a long time ago), he opens the message box to find out that Lu Han’s sent him a picture of a bunny hugging a pink-colored heart.

Seconds later, another message appears. _Thinking of you._ It’s been a few days since they’ve seen each other; Minseok’s hours are long, and there are days when he can barely stay awake around Lu Han because his body is still catching up on much-needed sleep.

_Me too._ Minseok thinks about it for a second, before adding, _let’s have dinner tonight. Jajangmyeon?_

The reply he receives is instantaneous. _I’d rather have you._ Minseok blushes. He can almost picture Lu Han’s smug look on the other side of the phone. He’s still trying to adjust to how sweet Lu Han can look while saying the most inappropriate things to him to his face; receiving them in the form of text only means Minseok simply can’t lean over to smack him.

Still, it’s not as if Minseok’s without his own comebacks. _Dinner first, before dessert~_ He sends this, along with an emoticon of a bunny giving a coy look - and shoves the phone back into his pocket, his cheeks aflame as he burrows his face in his hands.

Several minutes later, there’s still no reply from Lu Han. Minseok struggles with the urge to send him another message when suddenly someone clears their throat, startling him.

Lu Han is standing in front of him. He’s dressed down today - jeans and a band T-shirt, with a jacket thrown over his shoulder casually. He looks so good, and Minseok can’t help the broad grin that breaks out across his face at the sight.

“I was thinking of breakfast, actually,” Lu Han says, holding his phone up, grinning. 

Minseok considers this for a moment. He’s been on duty for forty eight hours straight, and the snatches of sleep he’s had haven’t been enough for him to recharge. As much as he’d like to spend some time with Lu Han, right now, he’s looking forward to his bed more. “I-- I was planning to pick up something along the way and head home to sleep,” he admits.

“Why don’t you come over to my place instead?” Lu Han suggests. “There’s a nice big bed, and it’s closer by. And, if you ask nicely, I’ll even provide breakfast in bed.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Only if you promise not to be the one cooking it,” Minseok tells him, amused at the outraged look on his boyfriend’s face.

“It was _one_ time,” Lu Han protests.

“Tell that to the report I had to fill, you punk,” Jongdae yells from across the room. Minseok chuckles.

“Well?” Lu Han is standing there, looking hopeful. _Waiting_ , for Minseok’s response.

Minseok thinks of his neat apartment, clean and well-stocked, of getting some rest in his empty bed that now seemed too big and lonely for him - and compares that to idea of spending the next few days in Lu Han’s place; tiny and messy with little to no chance of getting any sleep, especially if Lu Han’s involved --

He stands up, beckoning Lu Han over, who takes a step closer, placing his hands on the desk. “Throw in dessert, and you’ve got a deal,” he says, before tilting his head up.

Grinning, Lu Han leans over and meets his lips halfway. 

(Across the room, Jongdae sighs. “Sehun, could you please pass me the firehose?”)

 

_.fin._

**Author's Note:**

> All the love for my betas: **C** , who listened to me whine about deadlines and **R** who jumped in at the last minute - _thank you_ darlings, for staying up for hours to beta this, for being my cheerleaders and for telling me this doesn’t suck. All remaining mistakes here are mine.  
>  Title taken from Vienna Teng's 'Stray Italian Greyhound'. The details here are a mix of how fire stations are run in the States and in South Korea. Some facts have been embellished for this story.


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